Wise Words Wednesday - Guest Blogger - Andrew

Today's post is about MENTAL TOUGHNESS! I wanted to share this picture because it is the epitome of mental toughness and happens to be of today's guest blogger!



I am excited to feature today's guest - also my brother-in-law - Andrew Zobac. He is not only an amazing wrestler who currently is ranked 4th in the nation, but an all-around great guy and underneath those muscle has one of the biggest hearts for others (Sorry, Andrew, if your wrestling buddies/opponents read this). His passion for living well - living at level 10 - is evident in all he does, and he is an inspiration to those around him.

Here's a peek at just a few of his college wrestling accomplishments to show that he is also walking the walk:
• NCAA Division III National Qualifier 2011
• National ranking of 6th by NWCA and 7th by D3wrestle.com 2011
 • College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Champion 2010, 2011
• Outstanding Wrestler of the North Central College Invitational 2011
• CCIW Wrestler of the Week 5 times
• North Central College Wrestling Craig E. Fischer Memorial Award 2011
• North Central College Wrestling Hammer Award 2011
• Season Record 40-9 2011
When he's not doing all of THAT, Andrew enjoys fishing. Also, he is engaged and will be getting married this summer to Stephanie (picture below) on July 1st - which happens to be my wedding anniversary too! I am so proud of them both, and KNOW that you are going to appreciate his insights below:

Hi, my name is Andrew Zobac. I'm a student athlete at North Central College where I am an exercise science major. Sports and exercise have always been an important part of my life and I love being able to pursue a career helping others in reaching their goals.

I have learned many aspects of being successful throughout my athletic career, but by far the most important thing in being successful is what I like to call mental toughness. Mental toughness simply means facing adversity and being able to over come it. There are many different names for it, determination, discipline, but it call comes down to the same thing, overcoming adversity. Don't let your challenges beat you!

Now I know it may seem a little intense, that's the college wrestler in me, but it really is the most important factor of success. While most people aren't current athletes and may not see the connection between "mental toughness" and whatever your fitness or life goals are -- it's such a simple concept you can apply it to everything.

Think of it this way. Those times you wake up and have no desire to get out of bed, but do any way. That's mental toughness. When there are doughnuts at work, but you eat the healthy snack you packed instead. That's mental toughness. It can seem trivial and unimportant, but it makes all the difference.
And the greatest thing about mental toughness is it takes no talent, physical attributes, or genius level intelligence. All it takes is a goal and a choice. And just like everything else, the more you do it, the better you get! Nobody starts out mentally tough it takes practice. So all you have to do is set your goals and make the decisions that lead you to reach those goals. That's about as simple as it gets. It won't always be easy, but it's always a simple choice. And remember, Rome wasn't built in a day. You have to practice. Every right choice will make the next one easier.

Isn't he great?! Friends, my challenge today is to make SMART choices to improve your mental toughness. DON'T let your mind tell your body what it can or cannot do. What I love to say all the time is that, "You can do more than you can imagine!" and as Andrew said, "All it takes is a goal and a choice."

We are doing this and SO CAN YOU! Make it a Level 10 Day!